Focus on early detection and intervention.

Early intervention into adolescent mental and behavioral disorders is a critical component for a healthy adulthood.

St. Luke’s University Health Network–Behavioral Health Services is hosting “Just Talk About It,” a free 90-minute presentation by Sheila Gillin, LCSW, along with a licensed social worker and certified child and adolescent psychotherapist, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17 in the Laros Auditorium, St. Luke’s–Bethlehem.

What: “Just Talk About It” 90-minute presentation on early detection of child and adolescent mental health and behavioral issues, followed by a 30-minute expert panel Q&A.

“We know worldwide that 10-20 percent of children and adolescents have mental or behavioral disorders, and three quarters of them carry them into adulthood,” explains Amie Allanson-Dundon, Clinical Supervisor – OP/PHP Behavioral Health Services & PH/MH Integration.

“It’s extremely important to address mental health issues early, and the ‘Just Talk About It’ program is important because it stresses that we don’t want to miss the boat on these issues.”

The program focuses on acting on prevention through early education before situations become critical and require crisis-based response.

Gillin, who has more than 15 years of experience in the mental health field, is the Clinical Director of Minding Your Mind and the Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for Graduate and Undergraduate degrees at Bryn Mawr College.

The 90-minute program will be followed by a 30-minute Question and Answer session with Gillin and a panel of St. Luke’s experts, including an adolescent psychiatrist and a behavioral health therapist.

The presentation is designed to help adolescents, parents, teachers, school administrators, mental health providers and the community to:

Develop an understanding of the stigma associated with mental health issues among adolescents.

Learn action steps to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues in our schools to better support our students.

“Just Talk About It” drives home a critical message about early intervention with behavioral health since just 3 out of 10 individuals needing mental health services seek them. This is part of an ongoing annual program series by St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Services.

“We thought it would be very wise to include a program on child and adolescent behavior,” says Allanson-Dundon. “We found a lot of important feedback on Minding Your Mind, and we’ve partnered with them and Sheila GIllin to speak with us.”

“Just Talk About It” is geared to understanding and reducing the stigma that surrounds destructive behaviors associated with mental health and behavioral issues in children and adolescents.

About St. Luke’s

Founded in 1872, St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a non-profit, regional, fully integrated and nationally recognized network providing services at seven hospitals and more than 270 outpatient sites. The network’s service area includes Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Schuylkill, Bucks, Montgomery, Berks and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania and in Warren County in New Jersey. Dedicated to advancing health education, St. Luke’s operates the nation’s oldest School of Nursing and 23 graduate medical educational programs and is considered a major teaching hospital, the only one in the region. In partnership with Temple University, St. Luke’s created the region’s first Medical School. Repeatedly, including 2017, St. Luke’s has earned Truven’s 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation as well as 50 Top Cardiovascular program in addition to other honors for clinical excellence. St. Luke’s is a multi-year recipient of the Most Wired award recognizing the breadth of St. Luke’s information technology applications such as electronic medical records, telehealth, online scheduling and pricing information. St. Luke’s is also recognized as one of the state’s lowest cost providers in comparison to major teaching hospitals and other health systems.